Electrical connector



May5, 1942. A. H. WRIGHT 8 39 I ELEGTRI'CAL CONNECTOR Filed May 31, 1940 INVIINTOR. ARCH/E WEIGHT ATTORNEY I Patented May 5, 1942 uncritical. como'roa Archie B. Wright, San Francisco, Calif., .assignor '0! forty per cent to Frank E.

Francisco, Calif Application my 31, 1940, Serial No. 338,079

I '1 Claims. (Cl. 173-328) i This invention relates to electric connectors of the separable type in which a plug member is provided with projecting terminals adapted to be received in openings in a base member.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector of the class referred to, the separable members of which are provided with means whereby they may be interlocked against accidental disconnection.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the class described, the separable parts of which maybe positively inter locked by an extremely simple operation. Additionally, it is an object of this invention to provide a connector of simplified construction and which will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects of the invention, which will be made apparent as this specification proceeds, are accomplished by fashioning the projecting terminals of the conventional plug member into a pair of hooks and providing pins in the female or base member with which the said hooks are adapted to engage. Additionally, there is provided a cap of sponge rubber or the equivalent for the plug member and through which the hooked terminals project, it being the function or the rubber cap to bear against the face of the female or base member to yieldably urge the said hooked terminals into engagement with the pins in the base member.

In the accompanying drawing wherein there are shown two exempliflcations oi the invention,

Fig. 1 is an assembly view of the plug and base members, with one half of the latter removed for sake of clarity, v

Fig. 2 isan elevation showing the face of the base member,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the plug member, and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an electric lamp embodying the principles of the invention.

The numeral l designates a female member with which a plug member H is adapted to be interconnected, as in Fig. 1. The member I 0 is of a well-known type to the extent that it is of molded insulating material and formed of the matching, separable halves l2 and It, held together by the conventional screw ll. Additionally, the member Ill is'provided with the usual posts I 5, embedded or otherwise secured in one of the halves thereof, carrying binding screws It for connecting the leads II of the flexible cables 18 leading to a source of electric current. The usual spring contacts i9 are riveted or otherwise secured to the opposite ends oi the posts, it and one wing .of each oi them is normally adapted to lie in the path of terminals inserted through the openings 2| in face of the member it (see Fig. 2).

The novelty of the modification of the above described base member for the purposes of this invention, resides in the provision of the pins 25. These pins, it will be noted from Fig. 1. are thrust through the two wings of the spring contacts and the inner ends thereof are loosely received in the notches 28 cut in the legs 21 of the medially disposed reinforcing or separator block 28, the latter being formed as an integral part of that half of the member ll shown in Fig. 1. Thus the free ends of the pins 2! are anchored against displacement by the male members received by the base member.

The plug member ii is of conventional type in'so far as it includes the customary flexible cables 3|! having leads 3| for connection to any suitable electrical device to which transmission of power is desired. Additionally, the plug ll includes suitable internal support for the projecting terminals 32 and binding screws by which the leads 3| shown).

The terminals 32 of this invention are provided with the hooked ends 13, the hook openings facing in opposite directions, and here shown as being adapted for interconnection with the pins 25 by a partial right-hand turn (lookare connected thereto (not ing at Fig. 2).-

In place of the usual disc of insulating material, I have provided a cap of sponge rubber which is seated in the plug ll surrounding the terminals, and projects outwardly therefrom to form a spring means bearing against the face of the base member HI toyieldably urge the hooked terminals 32 into engagement with pins 25.

In the form illustrated, I have provided a facing disc 36 of insulating paper board or the like for the sponge rubber cap 35, to present a smooth surface to bear against the face of the base memher In, but it will be appreciated that this may be dispensed-with, if desired, without impairing the eflicacy of the invention.

The openings 20 in'the present inventionare necessarily longer than those of the conventional socket member of this class, to provide for insertion and partial turning of the terminals 32 to engage. the pins 25. In Fig.2 it will be noted that the openings 20 are of an arcuate shape at the ends into which the terminals are inserted,

to provide for rotative engagement of the memberslllandli. I r

The interlocking of the members thus described is efiected by simply inserting the hooked terminals 32 into the curved ends (left, upper and right, lower) of the openings 20 (looking at in the connection resulting from the use of the sponge rubber cap 35 between the two members. In Fig. 4 there is shown an incandescent lamp 353 to-the butt and of which the principle of this invention has been applied. In place of the conventional threaded end the lamp is provided with the hooked terminals or, the sponge rubber cap 35 and a facing disc 38 of insulating paper board or the like. The lamp is is, obviously, adapted to be connected to the base member It in the same manner as a plug ii of this invention.

It should be noted that one of the desirable attributes of the present invention lies in the fact that the plug H is susceptible for use in con-' ventional electrical receptacles as well as: with the base member It of this invention. This permits a. convenient change from conventional equipment to adoption of the electrical connecto forming the subject-matter hereof.

. between said plug and said base member when It will be understood that the invention disclosed in this application may take 'iorms other than those illustrated and described without departing from the spirit hereof, and thus the elements shown should be deemed illustrative only. For instance, it may be found desirable to substitute for the sponge rubber cap an equivalent, such as a conventional spring or the like. This can, of course, be done without deviating from the principles of this invention.

The invention claed is:

1. In an electrical connector, the combination of a plug member having hooked terminals proiecting therefrom, a base member having apertures in one face thereof through which the said hooked terminals are adapted to be inserted, said base member having a pair of spring contacts therein, each of said spring contacts carrying a pin adapted to be engagedby the said hooked terminals and an anchorage in said'base member for the free ends of said pins.

2. In an electrical connector, the combination of a plug member having hooked terminals projecting therefrom, a base member having apertures in one face thereof through which the said hooked terminals are adapted to be inserted-said base member having a pair of spring contacts therein, each of said spring contacts having a pin projecting laterally therefrom, which pins are adapted to be engaged by the said hooked terminals and an anchorage in said base member-for the free ends of said pins.

3. In an electrical connector, the combination of a plug member having hooked terminals pro- .lecting therefrom, a base member having aper tures in one face thereof through which the said hooked terminals are adapted to be inserted, a

- pair of spring contacts withinthe base member,

jecting therefrom,

each of said spring contacts having a pin projecting laterally therefrom for engagement by said hooked terminals, an anchorage in said base member for the free ends of said pins, yieldable means on said plug adapted to lie between said plug and said base member when they are interconnected and normally urging said members apart against the connection of said hooked terminals and the pins engaged thereby in said base ember.

c. In-an electrical connector, the combination of a plug member having hooked terminals proiecting therefrom, a base memmr having apertures in one face thereof through which the said hooked tools are adapted to be inserted, a pair of spring contacts within the base member, each oi said springcontacts having a pin proiecting laterally therefrom for engagement by the said hooked terminals, an anchorage in said base member tor the free ends of said pins and yieldable means carried by said plug and projecting therefrom in the plane of said hooked terminals, said yieldable means being adapted to lie they are inter-connected.

5. In an electrical connector, the combination of a plug member having hooked terminals prolooting therefrom, a base member having apertures in one face thereof through which the said hooked terminals are adapted to be inserted, a pair of spring contacts within the base member, each. of said spring, contacts having a pin projecting laterally therefrom for engagement by the said hooked teals, an anchorage in said base member for the free ends of saidpins, yieldable means carried by said plug and projecting therefrom in the plane of said hooked terminals, said vieldable means being adapted to lie between said plug and said base member when they are interconnected, and a facing disc of insulating material on said yieldable means.

a. In an electrical connector, the combination of a plug member having hooked terminals proa base member having -apertures in one face thereof through which the said hooked terminals are adapted to be inserted, a pair, of spring contacts within said base member each having a pin projecting laterally therefrom for engagement by the said hooked terminals, anv

anchorage in said base member for the free ends of said pins, a sponge rubber cap seated in said plug and projecting therefrom in the plane of said hooked terminals,

end the outer surface of said cap.

. 7. In an electrical connector, the combination of a plug member having hooked terminals proiecting therefro a base member having apertures in one face thereof through which the said hooked terminals are adapted to be inserted, a pair of spring contacts within said base member each having a pin projecting laterally therefrom for engagement by the said hooked terminals, an anchorage within the base member for the free ends of said pins, a sponge rubber cap seated in said plug and projecting therefrom in the plane of said hooked terminals, said terminals proiecting beyond the outer surface oi said cap, and.

a facing disc of insulating material on said sponge rubber cap.

1 ARCHIE H. WRIGIIT.

said terminals projecting 

